Dr. Mary McGann, a Religious of the Sacred Heart, joined the FST faculty in 1996 upon completion of her Ph.D. in Worship and the Arts at the GTU, with a concentration in ethnomusicology at the University of California, Berkeley. In addition to a strong academic background in liturgy and music, Mary brings significant pastoral experience, including nine years of service as Director of Liturgy at Loyola University, Chicago.

Maryâ€™s teaching and writing place particular emphasis on the importance of cultural diversity in the church’s worship practice, and the challenge of appreciating and fostering the modes of liturgical and musical expression appropriate to each culture. Her courses at the Franciscan School explore the theology and practice of Christian worship, the relationship of liturgy and spirituality, processes of liturgical inculturation, women and worship, and liturgical leadership. She is a member of the Core Doctoral Faculty of the GTU in Liturgical Studies, teaching primarily in the area of Ritual Studies in liturgical scholarship.

Mary is the author of A Precious Fountain: Music in the Worship of an African American Catholic Community (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2004), Exploring Music as Worship and Theology (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2002), as well as several articles. She has given workshops on liturgy and music in a variety of pastoral and academic settings in the U.S. and abroad. Mary served on the translation committee for the ICEL Liturgical Psalter (Chicago: Liturgy Training Publications, 1994) and on the editorial committee for the Hymnal for the Hours (Chicago: GIA, 1989). She is a member of the North American Academy of Liturgy, the Catholic Academy of Liturgy, the Societas Liturgica, and the Society for Ethnomusicology.Selected Course DescriptionsLiturgy and Spirituality

This course examines the interrelatedness of liturgy, spirituality, and culture from a Roman Catholic perspective in an ecumenical context. It explores the origins and historical evolution of Christian worship—including the forms, patterns, and language—as well as to its contemporary practice. Special focus is given to contemporary concerns such as the inculturation of liturgy; the relationships of worship, social justice, and the mission of the church; issues of inclusion; and the relationship of liturgy and spirituality in specific ethno-cultural settings.

The Art of Liturgical Prayer

This course explores in depth the patterns of both Eucharist and Liturgy of the Hours, and how these patterns can be embodied by assemblies in ways that are inclusive, dynamic, and sensitive to the challenge of a multi-cultural church. Focus is given to the role of music, proclamation, environment, and various modes of ritual action in the churchâ€™s worship, as well as to the relationship between liturgical celebration and the churchâ€™s mission in the world. Students are involved in the preparation/celebration of the weekly liturgy at the Franciscan School and assist in the coordination of various ministries.

Ritual Studies as Liturgical Studies

This seminar explores the changing understandings of â€œritualâ€ in contemporary scholarship in the humanities and the social sciences, and the implications of this evolution for liturgical scholarship. Students engage in critical analysis of various theories of ritual, as well as research into new developments in this emerging sub-field of liturgical studies.